BARRY Bonds, the once-greatest playoff choker of all time, almost lifted San Francisco to a World Championship in 2002, again confirming our theory that postseason success probably is as inevitable as failure.

“Do something long enough and you’ll be able to put numbers up,” said Randy Johnson, who after beating the Yankees twice in 1995 did not win any of his next eight postseason starts before the Diamondbacks’ 2001 title run. “Bottom line is, if you’re given enough [October] opportunity, the numbers will usually reflect how good a pitcher you’ve been.”

Every Yankees hero of their 17 series wins since 1996 also has underperformed in at least one of the five series they have lost. Derek Jeter, the all-time postseason hits leader, is Mr. Clutch not only because he has been, but also because the accidents of time and place have put him on the best team of the three-playoff-round era.

We wonder how many hits Yogi Berra, probably the most consistent World Series performer of all time, would have had in division and league championship series. Also, how many times he would have failed, as Jeter did in the 2001 ALCS against Seattle (.118) or the past two ALCS against Boston (.200 and .233).

So Joe Torre keeps a candle lit for Tom Gordon, a 17-year veteran of 114 saves and a career ERA of 3.93 who, on Friday night, gave up his 16th and 17th runs in 182/3 career postseason innings.

“Tom Gordon is fine,” the Yankees manager said yesterday. “[Friday] night he gave up a [Vladimir Guerrero] double and then tried to make a pitch and hit [Bengie Molina] and it was one of those things.”

Right, two guys faced, two batters on base, was one of those things that have the Yankees facing elimination tonight. Aaron Small, who gave back the tying and lead runs after the Yankees’ bats bailed out Randy Johnson, took the loss. But the Angels’ lead was only one when Gordon relieved Tanyon Sturtze to start the seventh. Gordon promptly created another fine mess that, with the help of Robinson Cano’s failure to put his foot on second base, built a five-run Angels lead they were better equipped to hold onto than their first one.

Scot Shields and Kelvim Escobar got the game to Angels closer Frankie Rodriguez. Gordon, Al Leiter and Scott Proctor left the ultimate Yankees missile, Mariano Rivera, in his silo.

“They have the best bullpen in the league,” Jason Giambi said yesterday of the Angels. “Those ladder guys they have, that’s a hard bridge to get through.

“You know that sooner or later we’re going to stop scoring runs and that we have to start answering zeroes back. If you find yourself down by a lot of runs, it’s going to be tough to get back in the game.”

One game is the Yankees’ season now. And presuming they get the required good start from Shawn Chacon tonight, they also will need work like they got out of Gordon in Game 1 to survive. All four batters he faced were retired, two on fly balls to the warning track for those of you keeping score or holding a grudge from the six runs Gordon gave up to the Red Sox in the ALCS last fall.

“He’s won so many and been successful in so many key games down the stretch, we never would have realized being here if not for him,” Torre said. “It’s too bad stats don’t tell you the story about the trust we have in him and the fact that we’d use him the next time.

“But I guess you’re going to have to pitch a couple of good games to have people stop asking the question.”

Torre continues to believe that’s inevitable, but can’t guarantee opportunity to prove it. Last call for the 2005 Yankees to save their season tonight might be Tom Gordon’s last chance to save his reputation for choking.